


back to the place where our story begins

by chasingflower



Series: skam fic week [3]
Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Fluff, Gen, instead u have 11 and 12 year old isak and even being friends at hogwarts so i think its okay, y'all they're 11 and 12 respectively theres 0 romance sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2018-12-23 06:32:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11984148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasingflower/pseuds/chasingflower
Summary: Isak looks at his mother dubiously. "You mean I have to run into thewall?"(Or, an alternate universe where Isak and Even meet for the first time on the Hogwarts Express.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello!!!!! i had hoped this would be posted on the first (because, you know, september first??), but i have no concept of time. oops. 
> 
> this is really self indulgent honestly but i hope u all enjoy anyway!! 
> 
> title is from gotta get back to hogwarts by starkid (lmao i know)

Isak doesn’t know if he’s ever going to ever used to the warmth in London. It’s a thick, oppressive kind of humidity today, which is odd considering the fact that it’s London. At least he’ll be leaving soon – his stomach flutters again with nervousness and excitement at the thought. He continues to make his way down the platform, pushing his deceptively heavy trolley forward (Did he really need all this stuff? What was he going to do, make his own castle?) toward the platform.

His mother, a half-blood like himself, told him with a wet smile that all he needed to do was run into the wall between platforms 9 and 10. He looks at the bricks now, a sense of unease setting in, because while he had nodded at her yesterday, he’s beginning to think that he’s missing some important step. Run into the wall? Really?

“Isak,” his mother calls from behind him, and Isak spins around. She’s smiling and she bites her lip at his expression.

“Mamma,” he begins nervously. “I really just run into the wall?” He asks as he shifts his weight from foot to foot.

“Yes, Isak,” she says, eyes bright as she looks at her son. “It’s going to be okay.”

He looks back at the wall, then back to her. “It’s _brick_.” He responds dubiously.

She laughs. “It is. But you want to know something else?”

Isak nods, eyes wide.

“It’s magic, Isak.” She says conspiratorially. “It’s not going to hurt you. But the two of us can go together, how does that sound?”

Isak thinks for a moment, before nodding in agreement. “Okay.” He turns away from her and gives the wall another look, frowning at it slightly. “So do I just – go?”

His mom laughs again. “On the count of three, how’s that?” Isak nods again, and fixes his attention to the brick.

“One,” his mother says, and she squeezes his shoulder. Isak swallows, the nerves in his stomach increasing. “Two,” and yes, Isak knows he’s going to run into a wall, but his mom is too, so it has to be okay, right? “Three!” she says, louder, and the two of them start running to the wall, Isak’s hands on the trolley, his mother right behind him.

Isak knows it’s silly, but the moment he gets to the wall he closes his eyes. He keeps running, but instead of the business-like sound before, with small chatter and the occasional train whistle, what he hears now is _loud_ and cacophonous. There are shrieks of laughter and owls hooting, and many more voices and the sound of trolley wheels all over the place. He thinks he hears popping noises, but he’s not exactly sure.

He opens his eyes and is frozen in awe at what he sees: the platform is _flooded_ with people, but no one looks angry or annoyed; the train is already at the platform, and lets off its whistle – a few girls burst into giggles and he watches as they run to their parents – it’s strange and odd but he _loves_ it.

“Mamma,” he says, and his excitement is growing and his nerves are ebbing, and he beams up at his mother. “I’ve got to get on the train!”

His mother laughs again, expression fond. “Yes, you do, don’t you?” At Isak’s frantic nod, she smiles wider and pulls him into a hug. “Be safe, alright? Listen to your professors, do your homework, and make some friends. Also,” she pauses, and levels him with a look. “I’m going to write you. I want you to write me back, Isak.”

Isak lets out a laugh. “Of course, Mamma!” He grins at her and she runs her hand through his hair, messing with the curls. He bats her hand away, laughing, but pulls her into a hug. “’m gonna miss you.”

She makes a noise in the back of her throat and hugs him back. “I’m going to miss you too, Isak. But you’re going to have so much fun! I’ll see you for Christmas, too. You’re going to be fine.”

Isak pulls himself away, nods, and takes a few steps. He steels himself, waves at his mother, takes his trolley and makes his way to the train. He weaves his way through the crowd – while it’s not a short walk, the crowd is _thick_ , and his cat, Lea, isn’t enjoying being jostled around – but he makes it, eventually, and someone tall helps him lift his trunk into the train, and they offer to take his trolley back. “Thanks,” he says, and the guy (the _wizard_!!!) smiles and walks off.

Now with only his cat for company, he steps on board the Hogwarts Express. It’s huge and grand, and while Isak is excited, he’s also hyperaware that he knows absolutely no one.

Biting his lip, he starts to walk down the corridor. The carpet muffles the dragging of his trunk, and the longer he walks the more he wishes he were able to find a seat.

When he reaches the first compartment, he sees the girls he saw earlier; a very light blonde in a pink sweater and a brunette girl with a muggle hat on backwards. They look to be laughing at something, but he’s not quite sure what, exactly. He shrugs to himself and continues to make his way through. He sees a group of two, of which he assumes are siblings; both have similarly colored hair, but the boy’s eyebrows are much bushier than the sister.

He keeps going, looking in the doors to see more groups of people laughing and talking animatedly; it’s only when he gets to the third from the end that he sees an empty one. He moves swiftly – at least, he attempts to do so (he jerks his trunk and wakes Lea, who yowls at him in annoyance. He shushes her and gives her a look, but the two are in the compartment, and that’s all that really matters). He kicks his trunk under the seat, sets Lea to his left, sits by the window and waits for the train to start.  

He must be in there for no longer than five minutes when he hears a knock on the door. Curious, he turns to see who it is; it’s a boy, about his age. He’s blond, like Isak himself, but Isak’s got green eyes and this person has blue. Isak makes a hand motion, waving him in, and the boy beams through the door and pulls his stuff in.

“Hi! I’m Even, who’re you? Thanks for letting me sit with you, I had a little bit of a problem finding my friends.” He says this all in one breath, obviously excited, hands moving as he talks. He also says this in English, (very _fast_ English, at that) and Isak nods slowly at him.

“Isak,” he responds, and continues in English as well. “I hope you’re able to find your friends later, I’m sorry.”

Even laughs and waves him off. He moves to sit across from him, and the smile he gives has a glint of something Isak isn’t sure what to make of it. “Isak, you said?”

At Isak’s nod, Even smiles wider. “Where’re you from, Isak?”

“Oslo,” he says. He pauses for a moment and asks the same thing, “What about you?”

Even beams. “What a coincidence! Same as me,” he says, but this time it’s in Norwegian. Isak can feel the tension melt away at the use of the common language, and the look of relief on his face makes Even laugh.

“Is this your first year?” he asks, initially looking at Isak but soon focusing on Isak’s cat. She’s preening under the attention, of course, Isak doesn’t expect anything less from her.

“Yeah,” he smiles awkwardly. “That easy to tell?”

Even rushes to reassure him. “Only because I’m in my second year. I just went through everything already. Feel free to ask as many questions as you like!” he says brightly, and Isak has to smile at him in response.

“What house are you in? My mum was in Slytherin, so maybe I’ll be there?” Isak asks.

“I’m in Gryffindor, and I’m telling you, it’s the best house there is. Beats all the others by a mile.” Even’s eyes dance in amusement. “Maybe you’ll be in my house,” Even continues with a smile. Isak grins at him, feeling completely at ease.

“Maybe so.” Even laughs, and Isak does too. “But what if I’m not?”

Even gasps dramatically. “Then I can never speak to you again.” Isak feels his expression turn to one of worry in an instant; Even’s eyebrows raise in shock. “I’m kidding!” he says, and Isak lets out a breath.

“Don’t tease me, I don’t know what’s happening!” Isak accuses, and Even looks a little guilty.

“Sorry,” he says, and Isak narrows his eyes a little, but he sees that Even knows that he’s teasing him. “I’ll make it up to you!” Even says suddenly. “What’s your favorite candy?” Isak blinks.

“Uh, I like chocolate frogs?” Even nods.

“That’s a good choice. I’ll buy you one when the trolley lady comes by, okay?” He smiles widely, blue eyes shining. “I don’t want to lose my friend just yet, alright?”

Isak tries to fight a smile, (it doesn’t work, not in the slightest) but nods in answer.

Even beams. “We’re going to friends forever, Isak, I know it.” And he says it with such certainty that Isak doesn’t want to do anything other than believe him.

So, he does.

++

The train eventually pulls into the station, and Isak is practically vibrating in his seat with excitement. Even’s not doing much better than he is, so Isak doesn’t feel so embarrassed. They’ve changed into their robes already, Isak in his plane black and Even with his, a red crest in the top left.

“So, Isak,” Even says as they make their way out of the train. “You’re going to go with all the other first years, and get into the school that way.” He continues and points somewhere behind the two of them. “You’ll get sorted, alphabetically –” Isak groans, loudly, interrupting him. Even raises his eyebrow. “Yes?”

Isak flushes. “Sorry. My last name’s Valtersen.”

Even smiles at him and rolls his eyes. “So you’re going to be near the end. That’s fine. After the sorting is dinner, then the house prefect will take you to your dormitory.” They finally get out of the train, and shouts of “Firs’ years! This way!” filter through the air. Isak looks over to see a crowd growing, and looks to Even nervously.

“I’ll see you later, though, right?”

“You couldn’t get rid of me that easily even if you tried, Isak. I’ll meet you in the Great Hall for breakfast tomorrow?” Even asks, the two of them making their way to the crowd of first years. Isak nods, head bobbing, and Even smiles at him again. “See you then, Isak.”

“See you, Even.” With twin waves and twin smiles, the two walk in separate directions; Even toward the left, and Isak continues to the right and soon joins the group.

“Firs’ years! This way! Come on!” The voice from before says again, voice booming. Isak’s eyes widen when he notices the speaker, they must be a giant or something as they look to be super tall, and he follows the group when they start to move. They aren’t walking for very long, maybe ten or so minutes, and when they stop it’s near the edge of a lake. “All right,” the man says again, looking at the group. “Four to a boat, no more, unless you want it to tip!” This immediately has people frantically paring up in twos and threes; Isak, feeling awkward, just makes his way to the front. He’s put in a boat in almost no time at all, and to his surprise he notices the brother from earlier on the train.

“Halla,” Isak says as the boat starts to move forward, and the boy turns to look at him.

“Hei, I’m Jonas,” he says, a smile on his face. Isak smiles back and introduces himself. Jonas nods. “You exited?” And as Jonas says it, the boat turns to face the school. It’s _breathtaking_. The size is larger than life with the towers making it seem even larger than it probably is, and the lights of the castle (because there really isn’t another word for it) really make it look, well, magical.

Isak turns to Jonas with a bright smile and says, “Of course.”


	2. chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!!! im back with a second chapter!! i hope u all enjoy this bc i'm probably going to make this into a series ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯   
> just as an fyi i made a few edits in the last chapter (mainly i changed even's house from hufflepuff to gryffindor)
> 
> many thanks to taha for indulging me and my nonsense, u are amazing!!!!

He and Jonas step out of the boat and onto the stone pathway. He feels a little nauseous, but he’s not sure if it’s because of the boat ride or if it’s due to nerves.

(He tells himself it’s probably both.)

They move forward, away from the water, to form a larger mob by the group of trees near the front of the castle. He’s still blown away by how _massive_ it is, and he knows with a sinking feeling that he’s probably going to get lost.

“A’right, follow me,” the booming voice says, and Isak looks up at him and gets moving almost immediately. He notices that someone to his left takes a step a little too quickly and stumbles, but they seem to laugh it off with their friends. Isak looks back over to Jonas with an expression of awe as they get closer to the castle.

“Where do you think you’re going to get sorted?” he asks, trying to start conversation. Jonas turns to him and smiles, but it looks a little pinched.

“I dunno. I’m hoping for Ravenclaw, like my sister,” he says, and his voice sounds a little tight. “I just hope the sorting isn’t like a test or anything. My sister said it wasn’t bad, but I didn’t really review anything.”

Isak’s stomach falls to his feet. “A _test_?” he swallows, and looks at Jonas with worry. “My friend, Even, didn’t say anything about a test,” he says nervously. “Are you sure?”

Jonas shrugs again, but doesn’t look very reassured. “All I know is that my sister said the sorting wasn’t hard.”

Isak gives him a worried glance and turns to look at everyone else, hoping someone overheard him and will tell him that there isn’t a test. To his dismay, no one contradicts him. He sees a girl with auburn hair look at him with wide eyes who mouths to him: “A test?” and all he can do is shrug back at her with a wince.

She doesn’t look reassured either, and he hears her blonde friend speak, “Eva, I’m sure there isn’t a test. They would have said in the letter, right?”

He turns away from them to look back at Jonas, who gives him yet another pained expression. Isak winces again.

They make their way up the front steps, but Isak’s legs are shaking for another reason. “My friend also said it was alphabetical, too –”

Jonas groans. “So I’m going to be last. Great,” he mumbles. He looks back at Isak with a guilty expression. “Sorry, my last name’s Vasquez.”

Isak laughs, reminded of his similar reaction to the news. “I’m with you there. Valtersen.”

Jonas gives him a real smile this time. “I hope we’re in the same house, Isak.”

Isak returns the smile with his own. “I hope so too.”

They’ve made it inside the school now, and the sound of shoes clicking on the stone floor is echoing down the hallway. He hears voices of his classmates also, some voices louder than others; they round the corner and he hears a loud laugh from a girl somewhere behind him, followed by quick “Shh!” and a smothered laugh. He’s about to nudge Jonas and talk about something (he’s not sure what, but he wants to be distracted) when the group comes to a stop in front of a very stern looking woman. Her robes are dark green and her hair is pulled into a bun, and if Isak wasn’t nervous before he definitely is now.

There’s an exchange going on between the man who brought them in and the woman by the door. They talk in hushed tones, nod a few times, then the man leaves the room. The woman turns to them, expression carefully smooth. “Welcome to Hogwarts,” she begins, voice clear. The chattering stops immediately. “I am Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor house,” she says, exuding a no-nonsense aura.

Isak blinks at her, not really paying attention to what she’s saying. He’s too busy trying to connect the dots between Even (loud, and very clearly not stern) and this professor. He looks at her, baffled; is he really to believe that Even is in her house? That doesn’t make any sense –

Jonas nudges him, breaking him of his train of through. Isak flushes a bit but turns back to focus on what she’s saying.

“Any misbehaving, and you will lose points. Now,” she says, turning toward the door, “Follow after me.”

The door opens, and any questions Isak had for Jonas about what he missed vanishes as he takes in the ceiling (or lack thereof? He knows they must have one, but it looks so real, so he’s moving in awe at the display of what must be magic). He looks at the tables, completely full of students except for the front of each, nearest the professors’ table. He sees a stool and a hat, but no paper or anything to write with –

“Jonas,” he says, and Jonas hums and looks to him. He looks exited, and Isak’s surprised to find that most of his nerves have left as well. “I don’t see any paper, just the hat.”

Jonas nods. “Maybe there isn’t test. Maybe it has something to do with the hat then?”

Isak frowns. “What could the hat do?”

That’s when the hat starts to sing.

++

Isak stares. He doesn’t know what to make of it. He thinks he hears Jonas snickering at him, so he elbows him in retaliation. “What _was_ that-” he says, thunderstruck, and watches Jonas bite his cheek to stop from laughing any louder.

“I don’t know,” he laughs, and Isak throws him a look.

“So, we just put the hat on?” he asks, feeling dubious and slightly betrayed. “You made me panic earlier!”

Jonas hushes him with yet another laugh. “I didn’t know, I told you! All my sister said was that it wasn’t hard.”

“Well, I’m mad at your sister, then,” he says, but he feels much lighter. He’s very glad that he doesn’t have to take a test, thank you very much.

“You could have asked your friend, too –” Jonas says, teasingly, causing Isak to elbow him another time.

“Don’t blame _me_ , _you_ started it –” Isak’s interrupted by Professor McGonagall, who takes her place by the stool and the hat.

“When I call your name, please walk forward and sit on the stool. You will be sorted alphabetically, and you will sit with your house.” She purses her lips and looks at the list of students. She begins with, “Altoff, Gregory,” and Isak feels the guy’s nerves as he walks to the front of the room. She places the hat on his head, and the whole room goes quiet, waiting for the verdict. It’s only a minute or two when the hat shouts “Slytherin!” but felt like an eternity. He claps along with everyone as he moves to the Slytherin table, and watches as he high fives a student as he sits down.

Isak turns back to Professor McGonagall, stern expression is still in place, and watches as she calls the next name.

It goes by in a daze. He recognizes, “Berg, Christina” as one of the girls from the platform this morning, and watches as she gets sorted into Gryffindor. He thinks he sees Even, shouting and celebrating as Christina makes her way over to the table, but the angle’s a little funny so he’s not sure.

He pays attention again when Jonas makes a noise in the back of his throat as she says the name, “Fossbakken, Magnus,” so he turns to him, question on his tongue.

“You know him?” he asks, and Jonas nods.

“Sat with him on the train, we got split up in the crowd.” Jonas shrugs. “Not a big deal. I’ll see him later.” Isak nods, and listens to the hollers from the Hufflepuff table as Magnus stands and walks over.

It’s still not very exciting. The longer he stands, the more he’s aware of his stomach and how hungry he is, and the more he’s aware that they’re only halfway through the alphabet. If he could groan without being rude, he would.

“Mohn, Eva,” Professor McGonagall says, and he recognizes her as the girl who overheard him and Jonas on the way over. She doesn’t seem to sit down for very long at all before the hat is announcing, “Hufflepuff!” and he doesn’t think he’s making up the look of relief on her face as she heads over.

He can tell that it’s eventually getting near the end. The crowd is much smaller than it was earlier, around seven or so people left, himself included. He shifts his weight again just as something to do when he hears his name called.

Instantly he’s awake; he shoots a look to Jonas who gives him a thumbs up in return. Isak smiles weakly and walks up the few steps to the stool. He sits, movements a little jerky, and looks back at all of the students watching him get sorted. The hat is placed on his head in one moment, and in the next a voice says, “Ah, what do we have here?”

Isak starts. He opens his mouth to speak when the voice continues, sounding amused. “A thirst for knowledge, I know just the place for you,” the voice says. “Ravenclaw!” it shouts, and Isak stands as soon as the hat is taken off. He looks to the table with the blue pendants and scarves, who seem to be screaming themselves hoarse. He walks over to them, heart pounding, knees a little weak. He feels like he’s in a daze as he makes his way to the table. He’s able to smile at the person he sits next too, but quickly focuses his attention back to the sorting.

He sees Jonas, now looking a little green, with the hat on his head. It seems like it takes no time at all for it to announce “Ravenclaw!” and Isak beams. He claps with everyone at his table, and when Jonas gets closer to him, Isak waves him over.

Jonas, looking relieved, quickly takes the open seat and turns to Isak with a grin. “I guess we’re roommates?” he says, voice excited.

Isak grins back and nods. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Mood elevated, he looks around the Gryffindor table and sees Even talking with some of his friends. He turns and the two make eye contact, and if Isak thought he was grinning now, Even’s practically beaming. Isak grins right back and waves; Even laughs and waves back before returning to his previous conversation.

Isak looks at Jonas again, grin still in place. “You ready for a whole year of this?”

Jonas laughs, “I have no idea. We’ll stick together, right?”

“Course.” They share grins, and the excitement between the two of them is almost palpable. Isak’s suddenly not worried for what this year may bring. If he’s got Jonas, and if he’s got Even, he thinks he can handle almost anything.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for reading!!!!! i love u all so much!! my tumblr is @evahmohns

**Author's Note:**

> thank u so much for reading!!!! leave comment with what houses u think everyone is in if u want, i'd love to hear your reasoning behind it as well!! 
> 
> my tumblr is @evahmohns 
> 
> love u all xxxx


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